P&R 02-01-2024
CITY OF CUPERTINO
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
10185 N Stelling Rd, Quinlan Social Room
Thursday, February 1, 2024
7:00 PM
APPROVED MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Stanek called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
in the Quinlan Community Center Social Room, 10185 N Stelling Rd.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners present: Carol Stanek, Jennifer Shearin, Seema Swamy, Hemant Buch,
Claudio Bono
Commissioners absent: None
Staff present: Jenny Koverman, Alex Corbalis
Guest speakers: None
CEREMONIAL MATTERS AND PRESENTATIONS
1. Subject: Chair and Vice Chair Selection
Recommended Action: Conduct the selection of the Chair and Vice Chair.
Chair Stanek opened public comment.
Seema Lindskog, Cupertino resident, supported Vice Chair Shearin for Chair.
Helene Davis, Cupertino resident, supported Vice Chair Shearin for Chair.
Ava Chiao, Cupertino resident, supported Vice Chair Shearin for Chair.
Chair Stanek closed public comment.
Commissioner Swamy nominated Commissioner Bono for Chair. No second.
Commissioner Bono nominated Vice Chair Shearin for Chair. Commissioner Buch
seconded. Motion carried with 4 yes (Stanek, Shearin, Buch, and Bono) and 1 no
(Swamy).
Chair Shearin nominated Commissioner Buch for Vice Chair. Commissioner Stanek
seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
2. Subject: Parks and Recreation Sports and Fitness Division Update
Recommended Action: Receive a presentation on the Parks and Recreation Sports and
Fitness Division.
Jenny Koverman, Recreation Manager, introduced Alex Corbalis, Recreation
Coordinator, to present on the item. Recreation Coordinator Corbalis presented an
overview on youth and adult sports and fitness participation and the Cupertino Sports
Center.
Commissioner Stanek requested clarification on any trends observed over the last two
to three years. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that the Sports Center is on the
upward trend, specifically membership and personal training has increased.
Commissioner Swamy requested clarification on the funding and cost per person for
fitness classes. Recreation Coordinator Corbalis clarified that fitness classes at the
Quinlan Community Center are $10 per meeting for a resident (20% increase for a non-
resident), and all the contractors are in the range of 60% to 65% of the resident rate
revenue or some of the adult fitness instructors are paid on an hourly basis (estimated
$40 per hour).
Vice Chair Buch requested clarification on the tennis player participation numbers in
2023. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that the large number is not specific to
unique users.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3. Subject: January 11, 2024 Parks and Recreation Commission Special Meeting Minutes
Recommended Action: Review and approve the January 11, 2024 Parks and Recreation
Commission special meeting minutes.
Commissioner Stanek motioned to approve the January 11, 2024 Parks and Recreation
special meeting minutes as submitted. Commissioner Bono seconded. Motion carried
unanimously.
POSTPONEMENTS
None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
4. Subject: Update on the Impact of the Athletic Field Use Policy Fee Increases on Youth
Sports Organizations
Recommended Action: Receive an update on the impact of the Athletic Field Use Policy
fee increases on youth sports organizations.
Recreation Manager Koverman presented an overview on the Athletic Field Use Policy
including the athletic field use fees, field usage and revenue comparison, and use of
available hours comparison.
Commissioner Swamy requested clarification on the reasoning for the overall decrease
in hours utilized in FY21-22 to FY22-23. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that
there are a multitude of reasons such as field maintenance or number of participants in
the program.
Commissioner Bono requested clarification on marketing efforts to help increase field
usage. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that even though some fields are
available to rent starting at 9 a.m., kids are in school, and so naturally there will be
times that the fields are not in use. Added that recently some new group inquiries for
fields have included requests for fields with lights (however the only field with lights is
Memorial Park softball field), Sundays (current policy limits Sunday use), or artificial
turf (which the City does not have). Commissioner Bono recommended implementation
of dynamic rates verses static rates in order to increase revenue for the City.
Commissioner Stanek requested clarification on the attraction for new youth sports
organizations using the City’s fields, and whether or not that was due to an increase in
available hours since it’s no longer a blanket permit. Recreation Manager Koverman
clarified that some of those new organizations branched off from other groups, started
their own league, or just found out that space was available.
Vice Chair Buch requested clarification on what the City is doing to increase utilization
and opening up Sundays for more use. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that the
City isn’t aggressively marketing open availability of the fields and hasn’t really done
anything previously. Clarified that Sunday restrictions are due to the public wanting
the parks open to resident use and not due to a rest day for over utilization. Added that
the addition of more Sunday use would require the Athletic Field Use Policy to go back
to City Council.
Chair Shearin requested clarification on the calculation of field utilization and whether
it takes into consideration field rest days, whether or not there were discussions
surrounding higher fees specifically on Saturdays, and determination of resident verses
non-resident organizations. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that field
utilization is a specific number calculated from the exact hours/days the field is
available to permit. Clarified that if there is a field that is heavily utilized and needs to
be rested, Public Works will close a field. Clarified that there wasn’t any discussion on
higher fees for Saturdays as they wanted to be comparable to other cities and found no
other city was doing that. Clarified that a resident group must have 51% or higher
Cupertino residents on their roster.
Commissioner Swamy requested clarification on potential reasons for the decrease in
overall field utilization, even with the rain. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that
organizations didn’t request additional days because of the rain, and added that they
also could have rented fields from other cities.
Vice Chair Buch requested clarification on the calculation of the percentage utilized.
Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that they look at the total number of hours
available to permit.
Chair Shearin requested clarification on policing field usage. Recreation Manager
Koverman clarified that her and Recreation Coordinator Corbalis do random field
checks, and Code Enforcement will go out on the weekends to check for permits as
reported.
Commissioner Stanek requested clarification on the status of staff’s recommendation to
City Council to end the Joint Use Agreement with the School District due to budget
constraints. Recreation Manager Koverman clarified that no final decision has been
made.
Commissioner Stanek added that on the February 6, 2024 City Council meeting agenda
(Item #12 Cost Allocation Plan, User Fee Study, and Cost Recovery Policy) includes a user fee
study report that addresses information regarding Parks and Recreation cost recovery if
Commissioners wanted more information.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Commissioner Swamy left the meeting at 8:16 p.m.
Commissioner Stanek reported on the upcoming February 6, 2024 City Council meeting
agenda (Item #11 Cessation of Hybrid Commission and Committee Meetings), and an email
from Shakespeare in the Park regarding alternative funding.
Vice Chair Buch reported on the upcoming Cupertino Little League Opening
Ceremony.
Chair Shearin reported on the January Mayor’s Commissioners meeting, upcoming
Cupertino Little League Opening Ceremony, and upcoming February 6, 2024 City
Council meeting agenda (Item #11 Cessation of Hybrid Commission and Committee
Meetings).
Recreation Manager Koverman, provided the Liaison’s update on the following:
- Sweetheart Social – Saturday, February 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Quinlan
Community Center. Advanced registration is required.
- 2024 State of the City Address – Thursday, February 15 (Reception at 5:30 p.m.
and Ceremony at 6 p.m.) at the Quinlan Community Center. RSVP online by
Thursday, February 8.
- The Spring Recreation Schedule has been published. Registration for spring
programs and summer camps will open:
o February 6 – Residents
o February 13 – Non-Residents
- Reminder that most City offices and facilities will be closed on Friday, February
9 in observance of Lunar New Year. The Sports Center and Blackberry Farm Golf
Course remain open.
- The Creekside Park [School Age] Playground Project construction will begin on
February 12, and the project is expected to take two to three months for
completion.
- Friendly Reminder – if you are traveling internationally this year, please make
sure you inform the IT Department in advance. Email helpdesk@cupertino.gov
with your travel dates and locations so the Security Team knows to not disable
your account while you are traveling.
COMMISSIONER ATTENDANCE AT UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Chair Shearin will attend all upcoming Mayor’s Commissioners meetings and will
inform Vice Chair Buch if she is unable to attend.
FUTURE AGENDA SETTING
None
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Shearin adjourned the meeting at 8:32 p.m. to the March 7, 2024 meeting at 7:00
p.m.
Respectfully Submitted by,
Jessica Javier, Administrative Assistant
Parks and Recreation Department
Minutes approved at the 03.07.24 regular meeting